During this special edition of Twitter’s only chat dedicated solely to outdoor adventure travel, we teamed up with the folks at the Hydration Summitfor a discussion about staying hydrated while out on the trail. As an added bonus, Geigerrig generously donated a hydration pack to give away to one lucky chat participant.

From favored methods of carrying water while hiking to the best ways to keep water bottles clean, this weeks’ discussion dove into every aspect of staying hydrated while outdoors. We were joined some experts in the field, and everyone came away from the conversation with some new knowledge, and a few new items to add to our gear wish lists. Check it out:

Q1: How do you keep hydrated on the trail?

@JillianLaura: “A1: Well, thanks to a total lack of gear, I opted for bottles this past weekend. Even with rationing almost ran out! #atqa”

After requesting any suggestions that the Adventure Travel Q&A chat community may have, we received a great inquiry about discussing the relationship between technology and the outdoors from Adam Nutting. The result was a great Twitter chat that generated plenty of opinions about topics like taking technology on the trail, favorite gear, and the merits of knowing how to navigate by compass when your GPS fails. We also had a few great guest appearances by awesome outdoor technology brands like Goal Zero, Pocket Ranger, and Point6 Socks.

Check out the conversation recap, and add your answers to the comments section!

As a special ode to all the wonderful fathers who love the outdoors, this week’s #ATQA Adventure Travel chat was a special “Father’s Day” edition. I won’t even try to deny that I got totally teary-eyed while crafting the recap; there are some truly touching tweets that were shared during the chat.

I was unable to perform my usual co-hosting duties as I was stuck at an airport awaiting a plane during the chat, but the wonderful David Croyle did an excellent job as guest co-host. Shoot, he did it so well, I may even be out of a job. Check out the tweets:

Q1: What’s your favorite outdoor memory with your dad?

@RamblinBears: “A1: My favorite outdoor memory was going to Yosemite with my Dad for the first time at age 16. #ATQA”

@JoyfulShoehorn: “A1. Going hiking in Idaho with my dad & leaving my mom and sister back at the hotel to whine. #ATQA”

During this week’s edition of #ATQA Adventure Travel chat on Twitter, we got down and dirty with the idea of weekend adventures. Many travelers are confined to cubicles during the workweek, and live for the moment they can escape the office on Friday afternoon to head out into the backcountry.

What’s even worse, many eager explorers find themselves missing out on the weekly #ATQA chats held every Wednesday at 5 PM (EST) – so after multiple requests from fans, we decided to present a weekly recap of the best tweets from each week’s chat. Check it out, and feel free to leave your thoughts and answers in the comments section!

Q1: How do you stay prepared for spontaneous weekend adventures?

@KelseyIvey: “a1. I usually have a half un-packed bag sitting around my room from my last trip + my sleeping bags lives in my trunk all summer! #ATQA”

@croyle: “A1: By trying to keep my gear in order and ready to go. As a SAR member, I need to have much of the same gear ready. #ATQA”

A few months ago, I began getting involved with a mysterious event called “Overland Expo.” A true novice in the art of overlanding, I was exposed to an event and industry that gave a proper title to the art of what I love to do – traveling the world by vehicle. Sometimes by car, occasionally on my bike, and often by foot. This event is a showcase and gathering of the overlanding community, a wild group of adventurers dedicated to getting out there and experiencing it all.

So why am does my agenda now include a little countdown to the May 18-20th event in Flagstaff? Here are a few reasons, in no particular order:

1. The Adventure of Getting to Flagstaff

While I’ll be in Flagstaff for about full three days, my journey to and from Overland Expo will span across about 9-10 days of road trip travel. I’ll be making the trek solo, and am really looking forward to embarking on another one-woman adventure. To break up the trip a bit, I plan on spending a night in Houston, Texas, to visit a great lady climber friend who recently moved out there from Tallahassee.

Aside from spending time with an old friend, I can’t wait to for a few days spent lonesome in my car. Speaking of cars, this road trip will be extra exciting because I am switching cars with my wonderful sister – which means I get to drive a hybrid Honda Civic across the country. All that gas money I’ll save will inevitably be spent in coffee shops, local breweries, and probably a few pieces of new gear I won’t be able to resist at the expo.

2. Classes, Expert Panels, and Workshops

Don’t even bother reading my hype about the schedule at Overland Expo – check it out for yourself. It delivers a nearly overwhelming amount of enticing events that will keep any adventurer engaged throughout the entire weekend.

My favorite picks? Out of nearly 100 classes, I’m most looking forward to classes like “One-Pan Cooking and Provisioning (no fridge)” with Ara Gureghian, a workshop for cooking healthy meals on the road, a collection of photography and writing sessions, “Keeping Healthy and Happy on the Road,” and the survival for couples course.

3. The Adventure Travel Film Festival

Presented by Austin Vince and Lois Pryce, this edition of the festival is the fourth annual event celebrating an international community of folks who live for the thrill of getting out there. I cannot wait to get educated on the history of adventure, the inspiring stories of those who trek out into the world, and the thrilling experiences they endure and enjoy on the road. Enticing titles like “Above and Beyond Dream,” “Paddle to Seattle,” and “Salt and Gold” are only adding to the hype.

4. Meeting My Fellow Adventurers

Lately, I’ve been internally comparing Overland Expo to an adventurer’s version of Bonnaroo – minus all the substance abuse, ruckus, and dirty bathrooms. In my mind, this gathering is the ultimate meet-up for people who are like me.

Adding to the excitement, I’m going to finally meet a few of the wonderful outdoor people I’ve connected with through Twitter. While co-hosting the #ATQA Adventure Travel Question & Answer chat, I’ve joyously watched as some of my favorite friends have won our weekly giveaway – a day pass to the event. Getting the opportunity to connect with people like Dave Creech (who runs an amazing blog you can check out here) is something I’m really looking forward to taking full advantage of – especially since there have been many promises of whiskey and cigars!

5. Daily Yoga Sessions in the Morning

Does this directly have anything to do with wild outdoor adventures? Arguably not – but I am absolutely smitten on the idea of waking up in the hot abyss of Flagstaff, and starting each day with a refreshing yoga session. I’m no yogi, but I have recently begun embracing yoga as the ultimate way to stretch, warm-up, cool-down, and generally improved my flexibility for my climbing. Even aside from my training efforts on the rock, yoga has been a reviving way to get my blood flowing every day.

And I might also be pretty excited to wrangle Dave and my boss J into joining me for some yoga – purely to giggle at them when they try the downward down. (Fellas, as much as I’d love to laugh at you, I will also be so impressed if you end up whooping my rear end in yoga!)

Bonus Hype – check out this 2012 event preview video!

If you haven’t snagged your pass to Overland Expo, the clock is ticking! Click here to check out event packages, and don’t forget to join us Wednesdays at 5:00 (PM, EST) for the #ATQA Adventure Travel chat for your chance to win a free pass.

I’ve been hyped about the mysterious new #ATQA chat for weeks, and the big launch day is finally upon us – but..

What is #ATQA?

#ATQA is the newest chat to hit the Twittersphere. It’s all about adventure travel, from overland exploration and outdoor hikes to camping, climbing, road trips, and everything in between. Basically, if you’re my kind of person, this is your kind of chat! I’m co-hosting the chat alongside J. Brandon, and our great discussion is sponsored by Overland Expo.

I can’t spoil the fun and reveal our exciting questions for tonight’s chat, but I can tell you this: we’ll be spending the afternoon talking about driving through beautiful landscapes, sleeping under the stars, exploring new cultures, our favorite adventure activities, and more.

So what’s in it for you?

Besides enjoying a great chat and meeting some new adventurous friends, we’re giving away a great prize to one lucky participant. Our phenomenal sponsors at Overland Expo will be sponsoring the chat leading up to their big event May 18-20 in Flagstaff, AZ. They’re hosting a weekend-long convention and celebration of all things outdoor travel. And we want to send you there!

We’ll be giving away a great day pass to the Overland Expo event!

For your chance to win, all you have to do is tweet us your best, most creative, witty, and kind thoughts during the chat. Make sure you’re also following @ATQandA, and we’ll announce our winner at the end of the chat.